Where does “retribution” come from?
Retribution comes from Latin retribuere, from re- and tribuere (to assign or distribute), which derives from tribus (tribe, division), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European tréyes (three).
retribution (English): Punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral...
Definitions
- Punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral...
Ancestry of “retribution”, step by step
retribution traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin retributio
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | retributio | recompense, repayment; retribution |
| 2 | Latin | retribuo | I give back, return or repay; I recompense |
| 3 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 4 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via Latin rētribuere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | rētribuere | — |